- This will be the third time the Meru governor has been impeached in two years.
- This is after MCAs voted in favour of the ouster motion.
Image: PCS
The Senate has resolved to try Meru Governor Kawira Mwangaza through plenary.
The senators debated in Parliament on Wednesday how Mwangaza's issue will be handled.
The Senators rejected a proposal by the House Business Committee to establish an 11-member committee to hear impeachment charges against Mwangaza.
Speaker of the Senate Amason Kingi said the Senate will investigate the proposed removal from office by the impeachment of Mwangaza in plenary.
"As you have noticed the majority leader moved the motion for establishing a special committee to investigate the proposed removal from office by impeachment for Kawira Mwangaza, the motion has been negated," Kingi said.
The majority of senators opposed the proposal and voted to reject the motion tabled by Majority Whip Bonny Khalwale(Kakamega) saying the plenary way would be all-inclusive.
Those who supported the plenary way argued that the plenary would give all senators an opportunity to participate in the impeachment process and give the people of Meru a transparent process.
A committee outcome that absolves the governor of all the charges does not allow the plenary to debate the matter any further as the motion dies there.
However, if the committee confirms any charges, then the House is given an opportunity to take the final vote on the impeachment motion.
Senators who supported the committee way argued that the panel would have an opportunity to find a lasting solution to the matter including even proposing for the suspension of Meru County.
The plenary proponents observed that the Standing Orders do not give the plenary trial leeway to prepare a report including proposing the dissolution of a county government.
Such powers, they argued, are vested in a committee.
This will be the third time the Meru governor has been impeached in two years.
This is after MCAs voted in favour of the ouster motion.
Mwangaza was hounded out of the office after 49 MCAs voted in support of the motion against 17 who rejected it.
Three members failed to avail themselves at the assembly for the impeachment vote.
She becomes the first governor to be impeached several times in the country.
Nominated MCA Zipporah Kinya accused Mwangaza of three counts: alleged gross violations of the constitution, gross misconduct and abuse of office.
In the gross violation of the constitution and other laws, Kinya said Mwangaza reportedly illegally revoked the appointment of a county public service board official.
"It is only the county assembly who have the mandate to revoke the appointment of the secretary county public service board," she said.
The deputy majority leader said Mwangaza allegedly failed to appoint the Chairperson of the Meru County Revenue Board, Meru Microfinance Corporation, Meru Youth Service Board, and Meru County Investment and Development Corporation Board as required by law thus failing to operationalise the said Boards.
She went ahead to state that Mwangaza refused to implement the recommendations and resolutions of the County Assembly requiring the Governor to dismiss two county offcials from office for alleged gross violation of the Constitution.